One of the better moves of the French president Nicolas Sarkozy ahead of France?s presidency of the Council of the European Union was to ask Alain Lamassoure MEP to make some practical proposals for improving the effective application of Community law for ordinary people.

Greek authorities are blaming a shadowy far-left group called the “Conspiracy of the Fire Nuclei” for a series of attempted mail bombings against prominent European political leaders which has forced the country to shut down international mail service and have arrested two of its members. But what do we actually know about the Conspiracy of the Fire Nuclei, or as they’re sometimes less dorkily called, the Conspiracy of the Fire Cells?

The common declaration following the UK-France summit of 2nd November would let think that France has become a major partner for the UK. Of course, a strong and long-term partnership should emerge from this agreement signed by the French President and British Prime Minister. However, I would moderate the enthusiasm of some French or European […]

Greece has suspended all freight and postal flights after the discovery of more parcel bombs. The explosives were addressed among others to European embassies and governing politicians, as well as to Europol. The press sees the bombs as an expression of extreme dissatisfaction with politics and fears a terrorist resurgence.

For much of this year, the response of European leaders to the eurozone crisis has been hesitant and fractious. But when the European Council met in Brussels on October 28th and 29th, the EU appeared to be acting with greater purpose and sense of direction. One reason for this change is that most member-states ? including France ? are now willing to swallow large doses of German leadership. Chancellor Angela Merkel’s influence was evident on the three key issues discussed by the summit: tightening rules on economic governance, setting up a new institution to deal with countries unable to borrow in the markets, and revising the EU treaties. However, Germany?s leadership has also brought problems. One is that Germany’s determination to get its way has bruised several smaller states, as well as the Commission and the European Central Bank. Another is that its reluctance to discuss imbalances within the eurozone has prevented the EU from taking serious action to tackle them ? though the imbalances have (in the view of many countries) contributed to the euro crisis.

Yesterday, the British and French leaders signed two historic and potentially far-reaching military treaties, paving the way for half a century of tighter Franco-British cooperation. As Nick Witney, of the European Council on Foreign Relations, has pointed out, this represents a ?strategic rubicon?, which could decide whether or not ?European nations and the European Union as a whole can keep a seat in the global game, or find themselves progressively elbowed aside by newer, wealthier and more confident players.?

The more the EU is forced by Germany to become a union rooted in fiscal ?stability,? the more pressing it will become for eurozone countries that cannot conform to the new, stricter rules to receive some sort of financial compensation. But that is the last thing that Chancellor Angela Merkel wants Germans to know.

After several days and the discovery of more than ten packages believed to be parcel bombs, Greek authorities have suspended international airmail for 48 hours. On Monday, suspect packages addressed to the Belgian, Dutch, and Mexican embassies were found in Athens, the last of which went off, injuring a woman at the courier company handling it. Subsequent investigations led to the arrest of two men (both of whom were reported to have been in disguise and carrying firearms at the time), and the interception of two more parcels meant for the French president, Nicolas Sarkozy, and the Belgian embassy in Athens.

In London on Tuesday, David Cameron and Nicolas Sarkozy launched a new era in Anglo-French defence cooperation with great fanfare. They signed two treaties, the first of which will mean British and French armed forces working together more closely than ever before, including the greater interoperability of aircraft carriers and a new combined joint expeditionary force. The second will lead to an unprecedented level of collaboration in the maintenance, management and testing of their respective nuclear forces.

?The British Government can rest assured that any just and lawful claims of Great Britain, or of any creditor of the Irish Free State, will be scrupulously honoured by its Government.?

That?s Eamon DeValera, writing as Irish Minister for External Affairs to the British Dominion Affairs Office in 1932. DeValera was also leader of the recently elected Fianna Fail government, the party having completed its transition from a ?slightly constitutional party? to being in power. So let?s look at the ironies presented by the above statement in Ireland?s current context.

Environmental policies produces more inequality than neoliberal ones, says Malte Lehming in the Wall Street Journal. He works for Der Tagesspiegel, which has published the provocative German original (HT: Ava). He acknowledges German leadership in the green industry: